-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin , known to many people more as an aggrieved movie character or perceived tax dodger than as an actual person , has finally spoken out .

In an interview with a magazine in his family 's native Brazil , Saverin -- a newly minted billionaire after Facebook 's public stock offering -- talked about his taxes , his relationship with co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and life after `` The Social Network . ''

Many observers believe Saverin , who , according to the Facebook origin story was slighted by Zuckerberg as the site grew , was a primary source for the book `` The Accidental Billionaires , '' on which `` Social Network '' is based .

Surprise : The Internet hates rich people

But the end result was `` fantasy , '' he said . And , no , he never angrily threw a laptop at Zuckerberg as his Hollywood counterpart , Andrew Garfield , did in the film . It 's a statement Fabio Altman , of magazine Veja , writes is instantly believable given Saverin 's reserved nature .

`` That 's Hollywood , not a documentary , '' the 30-year-old Saverin says in the interview conducted in his multimillion-dollar residence in Singapore .

Saverin filed a lawsuit against Facebook over his reduced stake in the company , and the legal dispute was settled out of court . But despite well-documented friction over the years , Saverin says he bears no ill will toward Zuckerberg .

`` I can only speak well of Mark ; I do n't resent him , '' Saverin said . `` His focus from Day One until today is admirable . He was a visionary and always knew Facebook would only grow if it remained true to its central idea of people presenting themselves truthfully and without pseudonyms .

`` That is the great power of Facebook that allowed it to transform into an instrument of protest , as in Egypt , but also as an instrument of business and , beyond that , a natural way to have contact with friends . ''

Saverin has had little to do with Facebook in recent years . But he re-entered the public consciousness recently when , days before Facebook stock was due to hit Wall Street , he renounced his U.S. citizenship in favor of Singapore , where he has lived since 2009 .

Many saw it as a dodge -- a way to avoid paying U.S. taxes on his share of the company , valued somewhere around $ 2 billion . He says that 's not the case and noted that , as has been reported , he 's paying his taxes .

`` The decision was strictly based on my interest of living and working in Singapore , '' he said . `` I am obligated and I will pay hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes to the American government . I already paid and I will keep paying whatever taxes I owe based on my time as a U.S. citizen . ''

Saverin 's father , Roberto , echoed those thoughts in the article .

`` It was hard for me , because of the life I built in the U.S. , hearing from Eduardo that he had to give up on his citizenship , '' he said . `` But he did this not because he wanted to , but because he had no other choice as a foreigner living in Singapore , where financial transactions are more restricted and bureaucratic for those who hold a U.S. passport . There was no other way . ''

Roberto and his family emigrated to the United States from Brazil amid political turmoil , and Saverin 's registered place of birth is Miami .

Saverin continues to work as an investor and partner in Internet startups from his Singapore apartment , where an office contains three , 27-inch Mac monitors on which he constantly monitors everything from stock prices to the weather , Altman writes .

As for Facebook itself ? Saverin still has his own profile , with more than 1 million people subscribed to it . But he uses it almost exclusively for news about his new startups , keeping the personal details to himself .

`` I do n't like showing my private life online , '' he said .

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Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin opens up to Brazilian magazine

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Despite past friction between them , Savering calls Mark Zuckerberg `` a visionary ''

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He says that , despite renouncing citizenship , he 's paying taxes in U.S.

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Saverin made an estimated $ 2 billion from Facebook 's stock offering